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  1. Negotiations

Korea


The government of South Korea has concluded, or is pursuing negotiations for, a number of bilateral free trade and investment agreements. Korean social movements have been mobilizing in opposition to these ever since the Korea-Chile FTA was proposed. So far, South Korea has signed deals with Chile (2004), EFTA (2004), Singapore (2005), ASEAN (2007) the US (2007, ratified in 2011), Peru (2011) and Turkey (2012). Talks are under way with Canada, China, Mexico, India, the EU and, technically speaking, Japan. Negotiations with Colombia have stalled over Colombia’s demands for access for better terms for its fruit and flower exports than what Korea gives Chile and Peru. Seoul is also looking to open discussions with Mercosur, Malaysia, Mexico and possibly Israel.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0

S. Korean, Japanese business groups to push for resumption of free trade talks
15-Nov-2007     Yonhap
South Korean and Japanese business lobby groups agreed to forge close cooperation to persuade the governments of their countries to resume free trade talks that are suspended over agriculture issues, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) said Tuesday.
Mercosur FTA to boost Korea's GDP by 2% - study
5-Nov-2007     Chosun Ilbo
A free trade agreement with the South American trade bloc Mercosur could increase Korea's gross domestic product by up to two percent, a study by the two sides has found. The Foreign Ministry said the joint FTA study was adopted at a Korea-Mercosur policy meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay late last month.
Protecting Korean farmers key goal of FTA talks with China
29-Oct-2007     KOIS
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said Seoul stressed the need to reflect the concerns of local farmers in any future free trade agreement (FTA) with China at preliminary discussions held in Weihai last week.
SKorea, China to start initial free trade talks
22-Oct-2007     AFP
South Korea and China will hold a third round of preliminary talks this week on a possible free trade agreement, the foreign ministry said Monday.
Widening inequality: IMF acknowledges downsides of globalization
20-Oct-2007     Korea Times
Korean government officials are trying to downplay concerns by anti-globalization and anti-FTA protesters including farmers that the Korea-US trade deal may lead to subjugation of the Korean economy to the United States. But a recent IMF report says that technology and foreign investment are worsening income inequality around the world.
S. Korea set to speed up efforts for free trade pacts with Latin American nations
17-Sep-2007     Yonhap
South Korea is ready to accelerate its efforts to sign free trade agreements with Mexico and Mercosur, the country's top economic policymaker said Monday.
S. Korea has two-track FTA plan for entering advanced, developing markets: official
15-Sep-2007     Yonhap
South Korea has a two-track free trade promotion plan aimed at winning market access in both advanced and developing economies.
S. Korea, Peru agree to begin FTA discussions
11-Sep-2007     Yonhap
South Korea and Peru agreed to launch discussions on forming a bilateral free trade agreement during a summit between South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Peruvian President Alan Garcia
Imports up, exports down one year after Korea-EFTA FTA
11-Sep-2007     Korea Times
A year after a trade deal between Korea and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) went into effect last September, Korea's largest trade group said that imports from the four-nation bloc hiked while exports dipped heavily.
South Korea may discuss free trade deal with North in summit
17-Aug-2007     The Hankyoreh
South Korea is considering discussing a potential free trade agreement (FTA) with North Korea during the second summit of the leaders of the two Koreas late this month